Measuring instrument



Oct. 13, 1931. 1 J. MCCABE 1,827,093

' MEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 9, 1925 3 nvm 1h:- 11

W r I Q I Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITDFSTATES PATENT OFFICTS 4JOsEIn J. McCABE, 4OF ROCHESTER, NEw YORK, AssIGNOE To BAUsCH e LOMB OPTICAL NEW YORK, A COEPOEATTONOE NEW YOEK v COMPANY, or ROCHESTER,

- MEASURING INSTRUMENT The present invention relates to measuring instruments of the caliper type,; embodying means for indicating the thickness or other dimensions of the articles to be measured .and

has for its object to improve instruments of A further obj ect of the invention is to provide /a practical, economica-l yand convenient instrument of the above mentioned class in'- cluding an improved jaw construction affording means for effecting relative .adjustment yof the jaws along with improved means for indicating the vextent of their separation wheninuse. 'i

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and `combinations of parts, all as will he hereinafter vmore fully described, the novel features .being pointed out in the claims `at the end of the specification. j

In the drawings :-r y i Figure 1 is a side elevation of a measuring instrument embodying the invention;

Figure y2 is anele'vrartio'n showingtheopposite side of the instrument to that shown inrFigur'el; f" f y Figure 3 is an elevation as viewedfromthe left of Figure 1;" a f.

Figure. 4 is an' enlargedj sectional view taken on line laf-:4a of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a 'sectional view taken 'on line,

5de-5o of'Figure 1; n Y Y ,Y

. Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the indicating portions yof oneof the arms of the instrument, and-2;' f Figure -7 is a 'detailed' perspective view-of one of the jaws of the calipers. l

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The presentinvention embodies a measuring instrumenthaving apair of arms 101 and 11 preferably channel sh'ape which are.

connected by avpivotrpin `or'bolt 12the arms being provided with jaw/s1?) and 14 kfor engaging the opposite surfaces of the parts to be measured. The instrument .is particularly adapted, for measuring lenses or lensblanks, though useful for, measuring other articles as well. The arm 10 is `providedw'ith inwardly projecting spaced: ears l5 YWhilev `the A ly hold the arm4 4provided with correspondingly il* shaped` ears`16, within whichithe ears 15 are disposed. A hardened bushing 17 is extended throughgthe ears 15 and `adapted to receive the pivot pin 12 asshownin Figure 4. rIhe bushing is rigidly securedto the ears 15 in a suitable manner and extends throughy an openingr 18 of an inwardly projected lug 19 on the-jaw- 13 wherebythe bushing formsV a pivot swing th atit may vbe adjustedfrelative to the arm 41() and relative to its normal position wi h respect i toV the jaw 14 for purposes hereinafter set forth. In mounting the jaw 13 upon the arm 10 the web portion' of the channel is cut away at the j aw receiving end to perinitthe outer edge of the jaw to liefflush wit-lithe outer edge of the arm, as indicated in upon which said jaw is adapted ,to

Figures 1 and 4. In order toalford the de-YA `which the opposite portions of the arm overlying' thej aw are clamped thereon to hold thejaw 1n position tooontactrwith lthe oppositeaw when theouter ends of the armsf 10 and 11 are disposed at a predetermined dis- Vtance apart; The jaw 13 is yprovided with an extension 22 in order to increase the length of the cutaway portions ofthe channel web- -sofas'to afford greater resiliency of thezparts of the arm 10 clamped upon the aw and also lto increase vthe contaotingsurfaces betweenl the'j aw and saidlpartswherebyto more firmjawin adjusted position.y The'jaw-14lispreferably extended within thelarm 11 and rigidly secured tliereinby any suitable means, such asfrivets23.

The arm 11 is preferably bifurcated .at .its

outer end to receive `an extensionin the form;

lOfi-an 'arcuate scale plate 24 suitably .connected with 'the' arm as by therivets25. The scale plate isforinedV on thegarc of a circle concentric with the pivot1-2of the armsplO and,y 11` and lis graduated into equal units to providel ascale 26, marlredin the vpresentinstance, from zero yto 12 torepresentin millimeters the distance between the contactportions :of Ythe jaws. The outer end of the arm 10 adjacent the scale plate is bifurcatedv to embrace and move over the plate during relative pivotal movement of the jaws. The portion 27 of the arm is preferably formed on its outer side with a straight surface or edge 28 extending in a direction eccentric to the pivot 12, or in other words obliquely, or at an inclination with respect to the scale 26. rllhat portion of the oblique surface 28 intersected between adjacent divisions 29 of the scale 25 is preferably divided into l0. parts, marked with, the units Zero to l0, forming indicia or a scale 30 for indicating fractional parts or tenths of the unit graduations on the main scale 26.

The scale plate 24 carries; a stop lug 3l engaging the crotch of the bifurcated end of the arm I0 to limit its outward movement and to normally hold it at Zero position., as shown in Figure 1.

A spring 32, including relatively long and short extensions or end portions 33 and 34, is interposed between the arms l() and 11 to normally maintain them in the position shown in Figure l, with the jaws 13 and 14; in contact and with the arm l0 in engagement with the stop 3l.

It will thus be seen that the indicating parts ofthe instrument may be accurately constructed and so disposed with relation to each other as not to require subsequent adjustment. Said parts thus bear a fixed relation to each other, which cannot be varied and which therefor remains constant throughout the life ofthe instrument, whereby accuracy in the readings is assured. This is made possible by the use of the adjustable or relatively movable jaw 13 which can be readily set in contact with the opposite jaw at any time after the instrument is completed, thus permitting the poi-nts of the jaws-to be reground after excessive wear and'properly adjusted without detrimental effect upon the indicating parts of the instrument.

The spring 32 is so constructed as to be insertable within and removable from the channels of the arm without disconnecting the latter, remova-l being readily effected by inserting a pointed instrument behind the cX- tended portions 33 and 34 of the springand forcing them out ofthe channels and then moving the spring longitudinally ofthe arms in a direction away from the pivot l2 until the transverse portion ofthe springreaches a point where it is of .less width than the opening between the arms, from which point it may be readily withdrawn. With this arrangement, should the spring become broken, a new one may be readily inserted without revmoving the pivot pin l2. Longitudinal. displacement of` the spring is normally prevented by projecting the extended portion thereof into engagement with a suitable abutment,preferably one formed by the shoulder portions 35 of the arm 1l, produced by offsetting the sides of the channels inwardly to accommodate them to the thickness of the scale plate 2li, which is of somewhat less thickness than the width of the channel opening.

Preferably both sides of the arm eXtension plate 24 are provided with scales, one as above described and the other as shown in, Figure 2. In the latter case the scale indicated at 36 and extending from zero to l5 is divided into one-onehundredths inches, the arm l0 having a pointer 37 registering with the zero mark when the arm is in engagement with the stop 3l, as previously described. Y lt is apparent from the above description of the construction that members l0 and ll may be conveniently gripped in the hand and pressed toward each other to separate the jaws and then allowed to close under thaction off the spring 32 to contact with the parts or surfaces of the object to be measured. The jaws are thus adapted to engage the objects to be measured with substantially uni- -A form springr pressure and the spring also tends to maintain the contact points of the jaws in close engagement with the objects, thereby facilitating accurate manipulation of the instrument in use. By such setting of I the contacts the oblique end portion 28 of member 10 is moved over the main scale 253 and the zero point of the. scale 30 moves over the graduations of said main scale, thereby indicating on the latter the approximate dixgmensions to be determined, while the dimensions are more particularly or precisely shown by the oblique scale 3() which indicates at the point where it is intersected by the division line of the scale 26 the fractional part or a number of tenths to be added to the units indicated on the main scale to give the correct reading.

As apparent from the description and drawings, the construction is simple and eco-` nomical to manufacture, comprising` but a few parts, which are rigid and durable in character so that there is little likelihood of derangement of the parts in use. The calipers is therefore accurate within the degree ofA precision for which it is intended and the construction and arrangement of the parts provides an instrument which is not only convenient to manipulate in use but in which the unit and fractional indications are both made' at the same time in a conveniently legible manner.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a measuring instrument, a pair of oppositely disposed arms extending in a common plane, a pivot member connecting said arms, jaws disposed upon said arms in said plane, one of which is adjustable to swinev upon said pivot and relative to its supporting` arm, means for holding the last mentioned jaw in adjusted position upon its arm, and yieldable means tending to thrust said arms apart, the arms having Contact portions adapted to cooperate to limit their outward movement, one of the arms serving as an indicator and the other having a scale thereon, Y

the zero point of which is in registry with thev indicating portion ofthe other arm'when said Contact portions are in cooperating relation, the distance between the jaws being determined by the position upon the scale of said arm indicating portion. j

2. In ar measuring instrument, a pair of pivoted arms disposed in a common pla-ne and provided with relatively adjustable jaws disposed in said plane vand adapted for contact with the objects to be measured, one of the jaws being adjustableto swing in said plane relative to the arm with which it is connected, a clamping screw carried by the llast mentioned arm for holding the adjustable jaw in diii'erent positions upon the arm, a plate carriedvby one of the arms and having scales of di'lierent' unit systems on the opposite sides thereof, and indicating portions carried by the other arm and disposed upon the opposite sides of 'sa-id plate for coopera.- tion with said unit systems to indicate the thickness of the objects to be measured.

3. In a measuring instrument, a pair ci pivoted arms extending in a common plane and having jaws thereon, one of which is adjustable to swing relative to the arm upon which it is mounted and in said plane, means for holding the last mentioned jaw in dii"- ferent positions of adjustment upon its arm, and means carried by said arms for indicating the distance between the jaws when the latter are in spaced relation.v

4. In a mea-suring instrument, a pair of pivoted arms substantially U-shaped in cross section and extending in a common plane, jaws disposed within said arms and projecting therefrom vin said plane, one of the jaws being adapted to swingrelative to the arm in which it is mounted and having a slot therein, and a clamping-member for holding the last mentioned jaw in diiierent positions of adjustment extending through said slotand secured'upon the arm in which said jaw is disposed.

V5. In a measuring instrument, a pair of pivoted arms substantially yU-shaped in cross section and extending in a common plane, jaws disposed within said arms and projecting therefrom in said plane, one of the jaws being adapted to swing about the pivotal axis of said arms and relative to the. arm in 7. In a measuring instrument, a pair of pivoted arms extending in a common plane, jaws disposed in -said plane upon saidarms, one of the jaws being adapted to swing in said plane about the pivotal axis of the arms and relative to the arm upon which lit is mounted, a member for securing the last mentioned jaw in different positions of adj ustment upon its arm, and means carried by said arms for indicatingr the distance between the jaws when the latter are in spaced relation.

8. In a measuring instrument, ak pair of arms substantially U-shaped in cross section and extending in a common plane, a member pivotally connecting said arms, jaws disposed upon said arms in said plane, one of the jaws being adjustable to swing relative to the arm upon which it is disposed, means for holding said last mentioned jaw in different positions of adjustment, means carried by one of the arms adapted to be engaged by the other to limit their movement in one direction and a spring having connected portions extending longitudinally within said arms tending to force them apart, said spring being mounted independently of said pivotal member and detachably received within the l/IHIS.

JOSEPH J. MCCABE.

which it is disposed, and means for holding 1 the last mentioned jaw in different positions of adjustment upon the arm from-which it projects.

6. In a measuring instrument, a vpair of pivoted arms extending in a common plane, jaws disposed in said plane upon said arms, one of the jaws being adapted to swing to different positions of adjustment upon rand relative to the arm upon whichit is mounted, and means for holding saidy jaw in its different positions of adjustment.

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